Machine for operating upon soles



Nov, 24, 1942. F. v. HART 0 MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON SOL ES Filed Aug. 3, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 24, 1942. F. v. HART MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON SOLES Filed Aug. 5, 1940 2 Sheets-Shee't 2 Fax Patented Nov. 24, 1942 MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON SOLES Fred V. Hart, Lynn, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 3, 1940, Serial No. 350,509

12 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for operating upon soles and is illustrated herein as embodied in a machine of the type disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,939,750, granted December 19, 1933, upon an application of E. E. Winkley.

The present invention is concerned more specifically with machines for shaping soles adapted for use in shoes having close edges, this term being commonly applied to a shoe in which there is no gap between the upper and the sole edge, particularly at the inner side of the shank. This result can be effected by the use of a sole having a sufi'icient surplus of material over the central portion of the shoe bottom to allow the edges of the sole to be bent permanently into contact with the sides of the upper, after the sole has been attached at its margins to the shoe, without setting up any tension in the sole tending to pull it away from the upper. Such a surplus may be provided by forming a bulge in the sole by the use of a machine of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,230,368, granted on February 4, 1941, on an application of E. E. Winkley. Owing to the extreme transverse curvature which, in some cases, is imparted to the shank of a sole of this type, its inside marginal portion may be displaced laterally so far from its normal position as to set up a longitudinal tension in the margin of the shank which might cause the sole edge to sepa-- rate from the upper during the use of the shoe.

In view of the foregoing, the invention provides an improved machine for shaping soles including means for clamping the fore and heel parts of I the sole and means for imparting a transverse curvature to the shank, the fore and heelpart clamping means, in accordance with a feature of the invention, being relatively movable to cause a relative movement laterally of the sole between the mid portion of the sole and its ends while the sole is clamped whereby the swing of the sole is increased, and a fullness or surplus of sole material is created in the inner margin of the shank of the sole. any tendency for the sole to be stretched or put under tension longitudinally thereof as a result of its being flexed transversely is avoided, and accordingly there is no internal stress in the sole which might tend to pull its edges away from the shoe upper in the use of the shoe.

As in the machine of the Winkley Patent No. 2,230,368 referred to above, transverse and longitudinal curvatures are imparted to the shank of Owing to this fullness in the sole,

prising a shaping tool which is movable toward and away from a form adapted to support the shank portion of the sole. The movement of the tool toward the form in the illustrated machine is utilized, in accordance with another feature of the invention, to move each of the fore and heel part clamping means relatively to the other prior to and during a part of the operation of the tool on the shank of the sole, this movement being effected by connections associated with the tool and'one of the clamping means.

As it is desirable to impart a longitudinal curvature to the shank of the sole corresponding to the arched formation of this part of the shoe bottom, the lowermost portion of the surface of the shaping tool is concave in profile. In order to insure that the sole, particularly if it is relatively heavy and stiff, shall not bridge across the hollow between the ends of the tool, there is provided in the illustrated machine, in accordance with another feature of the invention, a support arranged yieldingly to hold the central portion of the shank in complete contact with the above-mentioned concave surface of the tool.

These and other features of the invention, including various novel constructions and combinations of parts will appear more fully from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view infront elevation of an illustrative machine embodying sole shaping instrumentalities provided by the invention;

Fig. 2is a plan view of a part of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1 including and associated with the lower clamping members and form;

Fig. 3 is a view in front elevation illustrating the relation between a sole and the sole shaping instrumentalities when the latter are in their operative positions;

Fig. 4 is 'a sectional view, the section being taken along the line IVIV of Fig. 3;

a sole in the illustrated machine by means com- 55 Fig. 5 is a plan view of the upper heel part clamping means; and

Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of a sole illustrating the effect of the swinging movement of the fore and heel part clamping means.

The invention is illustrated as embodied in a machine of the type fully disclosed in the abovementioned Winkley Patent No. 1,939,750. Accordingly, only such parts of the machine as are necessary for an understanding of this invention will be described herein. Parts of the illustrated machine which will be readily identified in the above-mentioned Winkley Patent No. 1,939,750 comprise tables I0, l2. Above these and mounted for movement toward and away therefrom are clamp holders l4, H3. The tables and I2 in the illustrated machine are arranged to hold a novel lower form having a forepart element 18 and a shank and heel part element 20. Associated with the holders M, It are clamps 22, 24 of novel construction which cooperate with the forms [8 and 20, respectively, to clamp the fore and heel parts of a sole to be operated upon.

The sole is placed grain side down on a rubber blanket covering the upper surfaces of the forms it and 23 (Fig. l) with the edge of the sole in contact with gages 28, 3t and 32 (Fig. 2) which indicate the required position of the sole both lengthwise and widthwise of the forms. At this time, as will be understood by referring to Winkley Patent No. 1,939,750, the forms 18 and 28 are below and in front of the clamps 22, 24 H for the sake of convenience to the operator in placing a sole on the forms. Upon treadling the machine the forms are swung to a position directly underneath the clamps 22 and Z4 and then the latter descend together to clamp the fore and heel parts of the sole against the forms 18 and 26, respectively. Up to this stage in the operation of the machine, the forms I8 and are disposed out of longitudinal alinement with each other but are next moved inw alinement to cause the fore and heel parts of the sole, while clamped, to be moved relatively to each other to increase the swing of the sole, as will be more fully described later, thereby to provide a fullness in the inner margin of the shank portion of the sole.

Later, shaping pressure is applied to the shank of the sole to impart transverse and longitudinal curvatures thereto as well as a bulge therein by the downward movement of a shaping tool 3 1 toward the form 20, the shape of the cooperating parts of the tool 34 and form 25) being generally the same as that of the corresponding elements of the machine disclosed in the above-mentioned Winkley Patent No. 2,230,368. The tool 34 is pivoted by connections similar to those found in the machine of the first mentioned Winkley patent to a plunger 35 which is arranged to reciprocate vertically as in the patented machine.

The features of the illustrated machine provided by the invention will now be described in 11 greater detail.

The form 2Q, which has a shank portion arranged to extend toward and overlie the table It, is mounted to swing on the table I2 in the plane of its upper surface on a stud 38 carried by the 1 table. The shank portion of the form 28 between the tables Hi and i2 is adapted to support the marginal portions of the shank of the sole the central portion of which is to be displaced by the tool 34 into a recess 4% in the form 20 which is shaped like the corresponding recess in the lower form of the machine of the Winkley Patent No. 2,230,363. An arm 42, the purpose of which will be described later, is rigidly fixed to the back of the form 20.

The form i8 is mounted to swing on top of the table It on a stud 44 extending upwardly from the table and is urged in a clockwise direction by a spring it which is coiled about a hub 48 on the form IS, the hub being bored to receive the stud M. One end of the spring engages a pin 50 fixed to the table 18, the other end of the spring being arranged to engage a side of a channel in the bottom surface of the form. The adjacent ends of the forms Hi and 20 are each notched to 75 fit the other, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, the forms also being connected so as to swing together by pins 52 fixed to the form 26, the upper ends of the pins being received in slots 54 in the under side of the form it. It is now apparent that the forms l8 and 20 are arranged to swing together from their positions shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 into alinement with each other when the recess 46 (full line position) is disposed directly in the path of the tool 34 and thus is in a position to receive the tool, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4.

Provision is made in the illustrated machine for similar swinging movement of the clamps 22 and 24, only the latter of which will be described in detail since their mounting and construction are substantially alike. The clamp 24 is pivoted by means of a screw 55 (Fig. 5) to a plate 58 which is secured by T-slot connections to the clamp holder it. The clamp 24 is normally urged in a counterclockwise direction by a spring 50 mounted in a recess in the upper surface of the clamp 24, one end of the spring being arranged to abut the side of this recess and the other end of the spring being arranged to engage a side of a recess 62 in the lower surface of the plate 58. An antifriction bearing between the clamp 24 and the plate 58 is provided by balls 64 which roll on seats at the bottoms of recesses 66 formed oppositely to each other in the clamp and plate.

It is now apparent that the clamp 22 and form is are capable of swinging together about the axis of the stud while the forepart of the sole is clamped and, similarly, that the clamp 24 and the form 26) are capable of swinging together about the axis or the stud 38 while the heel part of the sole is clamped. Moreover, because of the fact that the forms !8 and 2% are connected by the pins 52 the fore and heel part clamping means will always swing together.

A sole to be operated upon is placed in the machine with its inside edge toward the front of the machine, the adjacent ends of the forms l8 and 20 having been moved to the limit of their movement as determined by the length of the slots 54 toward the front of the machine (dotted line positions Fig. 2) under the influence of the spring 46. With the forms l8 and 20 in this relative position, the fore and heel parts of the sole are clamped and then, as mentioned above, the forms are swung by means presently to be described so that their adjacent ends move together rearwardly of the machine, to effect an increase in the swing or angular relation between the fore and heel parts of the sole as illustrated by the dotted and full line showing of the sole in Fig. 6. It is to be understood that the term swing as employed herein refers to the angle between the longitudinal center line of the forepart and the extended longitudinal center line of the shank and heel part. This relative movement of the fore and heel parts of the sole tends to cause a gathering or fullness in the inner margin of the shank of the sole which permits an extreme transverse curvature to be imparted to the shank by the action of the tool 34 and the form 20 without setting up any tension longitudinally of the inner margin of the shank, which would tend later to cause its transverse curvature to flatten.

The movement of the tool 34 toward the sole prior to and for a short period after the time when the tool first engages the sole is utilized to effect the above-mentioned relative movement of the fore and heel part clamping means. To this end, connections are provided between the form 20 and tool 34 comprising the above-mentioned arm 42 on the form and a cam 61, the cam being mounted in a T-slot in the upper part of the tool 34 so as to enable the cam to be adjusted laterally of the tool in accordance with the required swinging movement of the forms l3 and 20. The adjustment of the cam 61 is effected by turning a screw 68 which meshes with rack teeth (not shown) formed in one edge of the cam 61.

The construction and operation of the tool 34 and the manner in which it cooperates with the sides of the recess 40 of the form 20 in order to impart a bulged formation .to the sole will not be described in detail herein since these features of the illustrated machine are fully disclosed in the above-mentioned Winkley Patent No. 2,230,368. It is to be noted, however, in connection with a feature of the present invention to be described below that the lowermost portion or profile of the sole-engaging surface of the tool 34 is concave longitudinally thereof, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3, for the purpose of imparting a similar longitudinal curvature to the central portion of the shank. To insure against bridging of the sole across the hollow between the endmost portions of the tool 34, especially when the sole material is rather heavy, the illustrated machine is provided with a member 69 which is yieldingly mounted on the form 20 so as to extend into the recess and is adapted to hold the sole in complete contact with the lowermost portion of the sole-engaging surface of the tool. The member 69 is fixed on a bar 18 which is mounted to slide on rods 72 extending from the lower side of the form 26. The bar 10 is urged upwardly along the rods 12 by relatively stiff springs 14, the normal position of the member 63 being such that the central portion of the shank of the sole between the tool 34 and the member 69 is gripped and made to conform to the longitudinal curvature of the lowermost surface of the tool as the transverse shaping of the sole is begun.

The use and operation of the illustrated machine will now be summarized briefly. Assuming that a sole to be operated upon has been placed upon the blanket 26 as indicated by the gages 28, 30 and 32 and that the forms l8 and 20 have been moved underneath the clamps 22 and 24, respectively, the clamps then descend into engagement with the fore and heel parts of the sole. At this stage in the operation of the machine the fore and heel parts of the sole have the angular relation indicated by the dotted view of the sole in Fig. 6. The shaping tool 34 then moves downwardly toward the sole from the position in which it is illustrated in Fig. 1. Shortly after the beginning of this movement of the tool 34, the cam 51 engages the arm 42 on the form 2!]. As the tool 34 moves beyond this point. the cam 1 causes the form 20 to be swung from its dotted line position in Fig. 2 to its solid line position in this figure. This movement of the form 20 brings the recess 4!] directly into the path of the tool 34. A similar swinging movement is imparted to the form I8 because of its connection with the form 20 provided by the pins 52.

It is also to be understood that the clamp 22 swings with the form H3 and that the clamp 24 swings with the form 20. A corresponding swin ing movement is imparted to the clamped fore and heel parts of the sole as indicated by a comparison between the full line position of the sole of Fig. 6 with its dotted line position in this figure. This relative movement of the fore and heel parts of the sole causes a gathering of or a fullness in the unclamped shank portion of the sole at its inner side also as indicated in Fig. 6. Thus, by the time the tool 34 hasbeen moved into engagement with the sole the forms 8 and 20 will have been moved into alinement with each other, the recess 40 in the form 20 now being directly underneath the tool.

Upon moving still farther downwardly, the tool enters the recess 40 causing longitudinal and transverse curvatures to be imparted to the shank of the sole as indicated by Figs. 3 and 4, and described in detail in the above-mentioned Winkley Patent No. 2,230,368. During the first part of the movement of the tool into the recess the member 69 remains stationary and forces the central portion of the shank of the sole opposite to the lowermost portion of the tool 34 into contact with its hollow or concave surface. Thereafter the member 69 moves downwardly with the tool 34, thereby insuring that a longitudinal curvature similar to that of the lowermost surface of the tool will be imparted to the central portion of the shank of the sole. As the shaping of the shank of the sole progresses, the reserve of sole material provided by the fullness in its inner margin is gradually taken up whereby tensioning of the sole longitudinally thereof is avoided even though it may be given an extreme transverse curvature. 7

It is to be understood that, owing to the change made in the swing of a sole by the use of the illustrated machine, soles to be operated upon in this manner are cut with less swing than that finally required by the amount that the swing of a sole is changed when shaped in the illustrated machine.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for shaping soles, means for clamping the fore and heel parts of a sole, said means being movable to cause a relative movement laterally of the sole between the mid portion of the sole and its ends while the sole is clamped whereby the swing of the sole is increased and a fullness is created in the inner support and form being mounted to swing withrespect to each other about parallel axes into and out of longitudinal alinement, mean-s for "clamping the fore and heel parts of the sole against said support and form, said means being mounted to swing with said support and form while the sole is clamped, members cooperating with each other to apply shaping pressure to the shank of the sole, and means for swinging said support and form into alinement in advance of the operation of said members.

3. In a machine for shaping soles, means normally out of longitudinal alinement for clamping the fore and heel parts of a sole, said means being relatively movable into alinement while the fore and heel parts of the sole are clamped to increase the swing of the sole whereby a fullness is created in the inner margin of the "shank of the sole, a form adapted to support the marginal portions of the shank of the sole and having a recess therein, and a shaping tool mounted for movement into said recess thereby to impart a transverse curvature to the shank of the sole.

l. In a machine for operating upon soles, means for clamping the fore and heel parts of a sole, each of said means being mounted for angular movement in the plane of the sole while the fore and heel parts of the sole are clamped to increase the swing of the sole whereby a fullness is created in the inner margin of the shank of the sole, one of said clamping means comprising a member adapted to support the shank of the sole, and a shaping tool cooperating with said member to impart a transverse curvature to the shank of the sole.

5. In a machine for shaping soles, means for clamping the forepart of a sole, means for clamping the heel part of the sole, each of said clamping means being mounted to swing relatively to the other while the sole is clamped in a direction extending toward the outer edge of the sole whereby a fullness is created in the inner marginal portion of the shank of the sole, one of said clamping means comprising a form adapted to support the shank portion of the sole, and a shaping tool arranged to cooperate with said form to impart a transverse curvature to the shank portion of the sole.

6. In a machine for shaping soles, means for clamping the forepart of a sole, means for clamping the heel part of the sole comprising a form adapted to support the marginal portions of the unclamped shank portion of the sole, said forepart clamping means and form being intercon nested and mounted to move simultaneously in a direction extending crosswise of the sole toward its outer edge thereby to create a fullness in the inner margin of the shank of the sole, and a shaping tool arranged to cooperate with said form to impart a transverse curvature to the shank portion of the sole.

F. In a machine for shaping soles, means for clamping the fore and heel parts of a sole, said means being mounted to swing together while the sole is clamped in a direction extending toward the outer edge of the sole whereby a fullness is created in the inner margin of the shank of the sole, means for imparting a transverse curvature to the shank of the sole comprising a form and a shaping tool mounted for movement toward and away from said form, and connections between said tool and one of said clamping means arranged to utilize the movement of said tool toward said form to swing said clamping means.

8. In a machine for shaping soles, means for clamping the fore and heel parts of a sole, said means comprising sole supporting members normally disposed out of longitudinal alinement with each other, a shaping tool adapted to engage the shank portion of the sole, one of said members having a recess adapted to receive said tool, said members being movable relatively to each other into alinement whereby the shank portion of a sole clamped thereagainst is displaced laterally with respect to the ends of the sole and said recess is brought into the path of said tool, and means for successively moving said members into alinement with each other and moving said tool into said recess.

9. In a machine for shaping soles, sole supporting members mounted to swing toward the same side of a sole thereon about parallel axes adjacent to the toe and heel ends, of the sole,

connections between said members for causing the movement of one member to be imparted to the other, a tool arranged to cooperate with one of said members to apply shaping pressure to the shank portion of the sole, and means cooperating with said members to clamp the fore and heel parts of the sole, said means being mounted to swing with said members, said tool having associated therewith a cam constructed and arranged to swing said means and members before said tool engages the sole whereby a a fullness is created in the inner margin of the shank of the sole.

10. In a machine for shaping soles, means for clamping the fore and heel parts of a sole, shaping members mounted for relative movement to apply shaping pressure to the shank of the sole, one of said members having a concave surface shaped and arranged to impart a longitudinal curvature to the central portion of the shank, the other of said members having spaced sole engaging surfaces by which the margins of the shank of the sole are flexed transversely about the first mentioned member whereby a transverse curvature is imparted to the shank of the sole, and a support arranged to be operated in response to the relative movement of said memers successively to press the central portion of the shank against the first mentioned member and then to yield bodily with respect to the other member.

11. In a machine for shaping soles, means for clamping the fore and heel parts of a sole, means for shaping the shank portion of the sole comprising a form adapted to support the marginal portions thereof, said form having a recess therein, a shaping tool mounted for movement into said recess to impart a transverse curvature to the shank portion of the sole, the lowermost portion of the sole engaging surface of said tool being concave longitudinally of the sole, and a member mounted in said recess and arranged to hold the sole against the said concave sole engaging surface of the tool thereby to impart a longitudinal curvature to the shank portion of the sole.

12. In a machine for shaping soles, means for clamping the fore and heel parts of a sole, a form adapted to support the margins of the shank of the sole, a shaping tool arranged to cooperate with said form to impart a transverse curvature to the shank of the sole, said tool having a surface which is concave longitudinally of the sole, and a member constructed and arranged yieldingly to hold the central portion of the shank of the sole against the said concave surface of said tool thereby to maintain a longitudinal curvature in the central portion of the shank of the sole while it is being shaped transversely.

FRED V. HART. 

